Method and apparatus for displaying information in response to motion picture programming

ABSTRACT

Various apparatuses and techniques for displaying information in response to motion picture programming are herein described. A handheld remote control can comprise a storage device. The handheld remote control can be configured to receive user input to select an element in a scene of non-commercial programming, where the element can represent an item for purchase. The handheld remote control can also be configured to retrieve purchase information for the element from a set-top box. The set-top box can be configured to display the non-commercial programming on a television display. The handheld remote control can also be configured to store the purchase information in the storage device and store user information, including account information, in the storage device. The handheld remote control can be configured to electronically complete a purchase transaction for the item using the stored purchase information and the stored user information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/172,423 flied Jul. 14, 2008, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/393,608 filed Mar. 21, 2003, which is acontinuation of PCT/US01/29560 filed Sep. 21, 2001 and published inEnglish as WO 02/25556 A1 on Mar. 28, 2002, which claims priority fromU.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/234,128 filed Sep. 21, 2000. Thebenefit of priority is claimed to each of these applications under 35U.S.C. 120, and the entire content of each is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains generally to displaying information, andin particular to method and apparatus for displaying information inresponse to motion picture programming.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Broadcast television has long existed as a premier medium for theadvertisement and sale of goods and services. The overwhelming volume ofadvertising and sales is conducted on television using advertisingspots, typically running between 15 and 60 seconds each, that arebroadcast during commercial breaks from regularly schedulednon-commercial programming or news programs.

As used herein, the term “non-commercial programming” means programmingthat is predominantly artistic in purpose and content and does notcontain direct appeals to consumers for the purchase of a product, suchas pricing information or information pertaining to where or how topurchase an item or service for sale. Non-commercial programming may,however, include “product placements” such as brand name products orservices that appear in such programming but are not expressly offeredfor sale. Non-commercial programming may be, for example and withoutlimitation, soap operas, made for TV movies, movies made for release intheaters and later broadcast on TV, sitcoms, TV dramas, documentaries,and game shows.

As used herein, the term “commercial programming” means programming thatis predominantly commercial in purpose and content, such as a televisionadvertisement for a product or service that may or may indicate wheresuch product or service may be purchased, or the pricing of such productor service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As described further herein below, the present invention, in variousembodiments, provides method, apparatus and software for the displayinginformation about an element identified in motion picture programming inresponse to the motion picture programming.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate example embodiments of the apparatus of theinvention.

FIG. 3 illustrates another example embodiment of the apparatus of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments,reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof,and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferredembodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodimentsare described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention, and it is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electricalchanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, notto be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present inventionis defined only be the appended claims.

Method Embodiments

As described below in greater detail, the invention exploits, in variousembodiments described below, the concept of using, in particular butwithout limitation, traditionally non-commercial programming as a mediumfor selling products or services on-line, and again in particular overthe Internet. Using this concept, for example, items used for props orsettings of a scene in motion picture programming are madeelectronically identifiable by a viewer of the programming, and therebyenabling a viewer to determine the source or location of the goods orsetting or other thing for sale, using an electronic system deployed inpart as a portion of the viewer's television viewing equipment.

Using this concept, for example, a user viewing a soap opera is able touse a hand held device to electronically point to a dress or item ofjewelry worn by an actress, and selects the dress or jewelry. In turn,the user is taken to a web site that offers the dress for sale. Thisconcept can also be used to find, for example but without limitation,travel packages to a locale featured in a motion picture program, or thenames of hotels or lodging near by.

Using this particular concept of the invention, traditionallynon-commercial programming can be efficiently used to indirectlyadvertise goods or services and offer them for sale on-line.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a methodfor selling products or services using a television-viewing medium. Themethods provides for 1) producing motion picture programming with atleast one element in at least one scene of the motion pictureprogramming, 2) recording digital information about the element, 3)broadcasting the motion picture programming, 4) receiving the broadcastand displaying the motion picture programming on a television display,5) in response to viewing the motion picture programming on thetelevision display, a viewer electronically selecting the element shownin the at least one scene, and 5) using the recorded digitalinformation, linking the viewer to a web site configured to permitpurchase or ordering of the element on-line.

According to one embodiment of the method, the programming isnon-commercial programming. According to another example embodiment, anelement is an item worn by a live actor in the motion pictureprogramming, and for example the item is selected from the group of aitem of jewelry, a garment or an accessory. In another embodiment, theelement is a hairstyle, hairpiece or cosmetic worn by a live actor inthe motion picture programming. In yet another embodiment, the elementis a prop used in the motion picture programming, and is selected forexample from the group of: a home furnishing, home decoration, fixtureor appliance. In yet another embodiment, the element is a real worldsetting, and the setting is for example is selected from the group of:city location, rural location, beach location or water location.

In still another example embodiment, the element is a device used in themotion picture programming, and the device is selected from the groupof: an automobile, household appliance, tool or consumer product.

According to one example embodiment, the information is recorded duringthe editing process of the motion picture programming. For example,during the editing process of a movie, game show or soap opera. In oneapproach, the information is recorded after the motion pictureprogramming is shot but before the broadcast of the motion pictureprogramming. For instance, in the editing process, elements areidentified in each scene of the programming, and information about theidentified elements recorded. This may be accomplished, for example,using a software and/or hardware system that allows an editor to vieweach scene on a screen display and using a pointing device identify andelement in a scene, whereupon the system creates recorded data that canbe later used to identify the element when it is selected by a viewerduring a broadcast. The system is, in one example, digital, providingthat scenes are represented in digital data, and edge detection softwareoperative in the system automatically identifies the edges of anelement.

Using another approach, the information is recorded prior to the motionpicture programming being shot, for example made possible if theposition of the elements in each scene is known in advance.

In still another sample embodiment, the information is broadcast withthe motion picture programming, and may, for example, be included withan analog television signal carrying the motion picture programming.Alternatively, the information is included with a digital televisionsignal carrying the motion picture programming. The motion pictureprogramming may be, for example, stored in a digital format forbroadcasting, such that the information is stored as part of the digitalmotion picture programming data. In one example embodiment, theinformation is stored separately from the motion picture programming.

According to yet still another example embodiment, the information isreferenced after a viewer selects an item and is used to identify whichelement the viewer has chosen. In such an example embodiment, forinstance, the information specifies the location of the element in ascene of the motion picture programming.

In still another example embodiment of the methods of the invention, theviewer selects a position on the motion picture programming as it isdisplayed on the television display, and information about the positionof the element and the time the element was selected is used todetermine the identity of the element using the information storedconcerning the location of the element in a scene of the motion pictureprogramming.

In yet another embodiment, a viewer selects an element using a hand heldremote control device. Moreover, in another example configuration, thereis provided a storage device holding viewer information including creditcard numbers, with the storage device being inserted into the remotecontrol device. The hand held device may further be configured to storeinformation about any selected. element for later use to purchase theelement, for example by storing information obtained from a set top boxconcerning the element, or concerning where the element was located inthe motion picture. According to yet another example embodiment, the settop box stores information pertaining to selected element for laterretrieval to use in purchasing an element.

In still another example embodiment signals from the hand held remoteare received at a set top device. The hand held remote control devicecan be used with one or more different set top devices.

In yet another example embodiment, the method provides for receiving thebroadcast at a set top device and in response to a viewer's inputfreezes framing an image currently being displayed prior to the viewerselecting an element. The freeze-framed image is retrieved for laterdisplay and use to select an element.

Other embodiments of the invention entail broadcasting motion pictureprogramming with at least one element in at least one scene of themotion picture programming, wherein the broadcast includes the motionpicture programming and the signal may in one example embodiment containfurther include non-displayable encoded information about how to locatea web site containing information about the element. In one alternativeexample embodiment, the encoded information is carried in an analogbroadcast signal, and/or for example, the encoded information iswatermarked in the broadcast signal. Further, the encoded informationcan in one embodiment be carried in a digital broadcast signal.Alternatively, information about the element is not carried in thebroadcast signal but stored in database and referenced later to helpidentity an element.

On the viewer's end, the broadcast of the motion picture programming isreceived and is displayed on a television display, in response toviewing the motion picture programming on the television display, theviewer electronically selects an element shown in the at least one sceneof the motion picture programming, and, using pre-recorded digitalinformation either carried with the signal or retrieved from a database,the viewer is linked to a web site containing information about theelement.

In still another example embodiment, a web site host uses thepre-recorded digital information to link a viewer to a web sitecontaining information about an element shown in at least one scene of amotion picture programming.

On the production end, in one example embodiment, motion pictureprogramming is produced with at least one element in at least one sceneof the motion picture programming. Digital information about the elementsufficient to link a viewer of a television broadcast of the motionpicture programming to a web site containing information about theelement is then recorded.

According to one particular example embodiment, the x-y coordinates ofthe pixel locations corresponding to the position of elements in themotion picture programming at various different times, for examplesuccessive scenes of the motion picture, are recorded to create amapping of elements to their x-y locations in the scenes. This allows auser viewing the scenes on a television viewing device to later select aposition on a frame of the motion picture programming and therebyelectronically specify the x-y coordinate location of an element in theframe, which x-y coordinate location can then be used to determine whatthe corresponding element in the scene is by reference to theprerecorded information. Such prerecorded x-y coordinate informationmay, for example, be stored in a web server, indexed according to scene,or according to frames of a scene or some other time-based index thatcan be used to identify a particular instance in the motion picture. Aviewer can then use, for instance, a set top box device to select anelement in a scene being viewed, and in turn the set top box producesthe x-y coordinates of that element in the scene, and a designation ofthe instance in time or frame or other segment that the scene occurredrelative to the beginning and end of the motion picture. Thisinformation is used by the web server to identify the element chosen bythe user, similarly to how user activated “buttons” are mapped and usedin graphical user interface programming.

According to an example embodiment of the broadcast method, the motionpicture programming is distributed to one or more over-the-air orsatellite or cable broadcast networks, or distributed to an Internetbroadcast narrowcast system, such that programming may be viewed on atelevision display device either through a convention television system,or on the monitor of a personal computer or workstation that is beingused as a television display device. Accordingly, as used herein, theterm “television display device” refers to any device capable ofdisplaying motion picture programming, such as a conventional televisiontube, a flat panel television display for instance using liquid crystaltechnology, or the monitor of a computer system whether tube liquidcrystal based or otherwise.

According to still another embodiment of the invention, one or more webservers or computing systems are used to collect viewing and purchasingdata for viewers purchasing goods or services using the above describedmethod. In one example embodiment, each viewer using the system isregistered electronically at a web server system, and each time thatviewer selects an element for investigation of a purchase, or actualpurchase, the identity of that viewer, or at least some demographicallyinformation concerning the viewer such as their geographical location orage or gender, an identification of the motion picture programming fromwhich the element is selected, and any actual sales information, isrecorded on the server system for later reference, for example to “mine”information about viewing habits or purchasing habits of registeredviewers.

According to one example method, each time a viewer selects an elementthat they wish to purchase, the viewer is asked to enter a personalidentification number or other password and/or a user name if such isnot pre-known by virtue of pre-stored information for example in theviewer's remote control device or set top box. The password can then beused to release credit card or other credit or debit or cash card oraccount information that allows the viewer to complete a purchasetransaction electronically.

According to yet other embodiments of the methods of the invention, theabove-described methods can be implemented in whole or in part using orin combination with other systems. For instance, the methods may beimplemented in such a way that broadcast motion picture programming issynchronized with a web-based application. Using this approach, forinstance, the web-based application would be informed of or in synchronywith which scenes of the motion picture programming were being broadcastand viewed by the viewer. Knowing the scene being viewed, and using apre-recorded mapping of the location of certain elements in each scene,or frame of a scene if the element moves position during the scene,allows that the web server can identify an element selected by a viewerprovided that the user's system, located for instance and most typicallyin a user's home, can specify the x-y coordinates of the element in ascene or at a certain point in the scene.

In an alternative embodiment, the actual motion picture programmingsignal is itself encoded with information on the identity of an element,for example such that the element has an un-displayed “tag” of data thatcan be accessed when the element is selected with a selection device,and then used to facilitate a purchase of the element. For example, aviewer may select a tagged element, and the tag information then used todirect the viewer to a web site offering that element for sale, and,more particularly in one example embodiment, to a page of the web sitethat contains purchasing information for the element. Such tags may beincorporated, for example, in data formats such as MPEG data containingthe motion picture programming, or other digital data formats.Alternatively, such data may be encoded into an analog broadcast signalin the blanking period or watermarked into the actual displayed content,such that the watermarking can be read by a set top box unit that isforwarding the signal to the television viewing device. In the case oftagged elements, one aspect is that most or all of the information thatis required to identify the element is included with the broadcastedsignal. This is in contrast to requiring reference to an independentlymaintained database to identify the element, as for example describedabove where the element is identified by mapping a location of theelement to a database defining where elements are found in a motionpicture. Of course, one example embodiment may use both tagging andindependently stored data to accomplish this function.

As used herein, the term “set top” box or unit or device shall mean asignal processing apparatus that can be stand alone or incorporatedbodily into a television viewing device or other electronic apparatusthat is used to view motion picture programming. For example, a set topbox may be of the form typically used by cable or satellite televisionand Internet access systems, where signals are delivered from a head endor satellite system or otherwise delivered to the set top device andthereafter converted into signals displayable as motion pictureprogramming on a television viewing device, or displayed as web pages inthe case where Internet access if provided, or both simultaneously.

According to yet another embodiment, other methods of identifying theelement are possible and the invention is in no way limited in therespect of how the element is identified in order to facilitate a sale.

It shall be understood that while the invention has been described invarious embodiments above as implemented on the Internet with respect toon-line sales, other networks can be substituted, such as a privatenetwork that does not implicate the Internet. Such a network may be an“intranet” or “extranet” or simply a wide area network. Alternatively, apoint-to-point system that is not strictly a network could also be usedas the medium to send purchase requests to processing and distributioncenter and/or computer system.

According to still another embodiment of the invention, the invention isapplied not only to non-commercial motion picture programming, but alsoto commercial programming, allowing, for example but not withlimitation, multiple elements for sale to be featured in a motionpicture commercial programming, and allowing a user to select one ormore of the elements to effectuate a sale of the item.

According to yet still another example embodiment of the invention, theviewer is provided with information concerning where an element may bepurchased, or other information such as pricing information, but notgiven an opportunity to purchase the element on-line.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, one or more stillimages of scenes taken from motion picture programming is stored in astorage location such as a web server on the Internet. These stillimages are, in one example embodiment, taken from the motion pictureprogramming prior to broadcast, and one or more elements are identifiedon the still images in the same manner as specified above. Upon viewingsuch programming via a broadcast, a user is informed with visibleinstructions forming part of the displayed programming to visit a website where such still images from the broadcast may be viewed andwherein elements of the images may be selected in order to purchase orotherwise obtain information on such elements. According to analternative embodiment, pressing one or more buttons on the remotecontrol unit automatically brings a user to the web site where the stillimages can be viewed and elements from scenes in the images can beselected for purchase. In this embodiment, therefore, it is unnecessaryto know where within the programming the viewer has activated the systemto go to the web site, as the viewer can select the scene of interestfrom, for example, one or a gallery of scenes stored at the site. Inthis embodiment, therefore, no synchronization or direct correlationbetween the actual broadcast and the elements for sale on the web siteis necessary. According to one example embodiment, selecting and“clicking on” a scene in a program takes the user to the web site thatprovides access to the corresponding still images and purchasinginformation and infrastructure.

According to still another example embodiment, the programming may bedistributed not only as a broadcast, but also in the form of a DVD disc,VHS tape or MP3 or other data storage format. In such an embodiment, theinvention works in a like manner as described above in such embodimentswhere synchronization with a live broadcast is not necessary to thedescribed operation. Instead, the programming content is delivered tothe system via the recording media or source such as a media server.

According to still another embodiment, the invention is adapted to beuse for audio programming, wherein a user may select an audio element ofaudio programming using a select device such as a button, in order toobtain information or purchase of an item or service related to theaudio element, in the same manner as is described in the variousembodiments above. For example, a user may select a “song” that isplayed in an audiovisual broadcast by pushing a “audio selection” buttonor on-screen select element, and receive information concerning theaudio content or the product or service referred to by the content. Insuch a manner, a radio broadcast or music recording or a moviesoundtrack may be used as a basis for sale of a product or service inthe same manner as described above with respect to visual elements inprogramming material.

According to another example embodiment of the methods of the invention,the invention is adapted for operation to view or listen to programmingon personal digital assistants (PDA's), cellular telephoneshandheld/portable televisions, computers and the like.

According to one example embodiment, programming may be obtained fromvarious sources including but not limited to DVD, VHS, SetTopMemory/Disk, Live TV, Wireless, Movie Theater, Radio, Web Radio, WebVideo, Web Sites, Post-Sale Promotions, Print Materials, and DedicatedVideo Print and Audio Catalogs. Scene selection and retention may beaccomplished a custom set top box, conventional and commerciallyavailable set top boxes, memory devices, web links, PDAs an digitaltelephones. Scene review may be accomplished by visual review ofselections, with searching by product type, show, show type and otherfamiliar categorizations. Product selection may be obtained by a web setoperated to display goods for a number of differentadvertisers/companies, or from the actual advertisers own web site.Also, purchase an item may be accomplished by use of a central web siteor operations center, or by the actual advertisers, or a hybrid forexample implemented XML programming language.

Apparatus Embodiments

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown one example embodiment of thesystem and apparatus of the invention. Raw motion picture programming 12is obtained by a “shooting” process that uses analog or digital filmingtechnology, such as a video camera or an emulsion film camera, or adigital camera. The raw programming 12 is edited and processed usingediting equipment 14, wherein elements 16 in a scene 18 are identifiedduring the editing process, or after final editing. In this exampleembodiment, “product” information 20 about each element, such asidentification information for the element and/or where it can bepurchased on the Internet is then encoded in digital form as part of adigital representation 21 of the programming material.

Such digital programming material is then broadcast using a broadcastsystem 22, including ahead end 24 that transmits the digital programmingmaterial by cable system 26 or satellite system 28, to a viewer'slocation 29, such as their home. At the viewer's location, a set top box30, either stand alone or incorporated into television system, receivesthe digital programming material, typically carried over the air orcable in the form of a modulated analog carrier. The set top box 30receives the programming, and produces a signal or data that produces adisplay 31 of the programming material on a television display 32. Settop box 30 is in one embodiment connected to the Internet by a POTStelephone line 33, or other Internet connection such as ISDN or DSL, andincludes circuitry responsive to a hand held remote unit 34, which canbe used to direct the set top box to overlay an image of a pointer 36 ona scene 38 of the programming material, and allowing a viewer to pointto and electronically select an element in a scene. Remote unit 34further includes, in one example embodiment, a keypad, a “purchase”button, and a toggle button to allow a viewer to toggle betweendifferent sets of customer information (not shown). According to oneexample embodiment, an indication that the element has been selected,and indeed is available to be selected, is also overlaid on the image ofthe scene, such as by changing a color or brightness of the element, orotherwise indicating visually that the element has been selected by theuser. In one example embodiment, the hand held device allows a viewer tofirst freeze frame, or capture, an image of the scene, so that selectionof the element is done a still video image, as opposed to a movingimage. Moreover, the still video image may be stored for later recall,for example at the end of a broadcast, or at least an index to a pointin the broadcast is made such that the user may later view an image fromthe scene obtained from a source other than the original broadcast, suchas a recording of the broadcast made locally at the viewer's location,or a recording kept on a web server on the Internet or in some otherremote database.

Once an element has been identified, the product information included inthe programming signal is used to link a viewer to a web site 40 that issupported by a web server 42, in this example over the Internet 44. Inone embodiment, the viewer is taken directly to a page(s) or otherportion(s) 46 of a web site 40, where the element is offered for sale orotherwise promoted. Web server 42 or another one or more servers mayhost the web site. Upon entering a password into the hand held remoteunit 34, the viewer's account information, held in a storage devicelocated in the hand held remote unit 34, set top box 30, or in anotherdata storage location such as on the Internet, is provided to the website to effectuate a sale. Page(s) 46 are displayed either on display31, or alternately another display device at the viewer's location.

In addition, web server 42 collects data concerning which scenes arefreeze framed or which elements are selected by each viewer using thesystem, so that information on the viewing and buying habits of viewerscan be assembled. Such viewers may be kept track of by name and/oraddress or other identification unique to them, or more generically bysome designation of the location they are in when using the system, orother information that allows demographically information to beaccumulated.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2, product informationconcerning an element is kept on the server 42 mapped according to thex-y location of elements in each scene or frame of programming, and x-ycoordinate data generated by the set top box 30 is sent to the server 42for it to use in determining the product information for the element andin turn linking the user to a web site offering information or sale ofthat element.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is illustrated another example embodimentof the invention. A set top box 30 receives content from a contentsource 32. One or more servers 34 are connected to the set top box 30.In an alternate or combined configuration, content source is suppliedfrom source 32 to a browser configuration on a client computer 36. Theserver(s) 34 provide administrative functions accessible over theinternet from a client computer 38. Content data is uploaded into theserver(s) 34 from a Tag source 40, which shows IDs, Key Frame ScreenCaptures and Object IDs, and is also connected to product and serversuppliers computer equipment 42, for completing sales transactions ofadvertised items, reporting and administration. Additional functions areaccessible by Advertiser systems 44, such as administrative andreporting features. Other functions are accessible to market researchsubscriber systems 46, such as reports indicating demographic salesdata. In this embodiment, for example, the key frames are frames fromprogramming selected to be accessed on the Internet by customers, suchas described above with respect to the methods and apparatus describedherein.

As used herein, the term “storage medium” shall mean without limitationany media that can be used to store or transport an analog or digitalsignal, such as magnetic media, compact disc media, or copper or opticalor other signal transport media that can sustain a signal in transport.

Thus, the invention as described above provides, in various embodiments,methods and apparatus incorporating, among other things, the concept ofusing, in particular but without limitation, traditionallynon-commercial programming as a medium for selling products or serviceson-line, and again in particular over the Internet. Using thisparticular concept of the invention, traditionally non-commercialprogramming can be efficiently used to indirectly advertise goods orservices and offer them for sale on-line.

1. A system comprising: a handheld remote control comprising a storagedevice, the handheld remote control configured to: receive user input toselect an element in a scene of non-commercial programming, the elementrepresenting an item for purchase; retrieve purchase information for theelement from a set-top box configured to display the non-commercialprogramming on a television display; store the purchase information inthe storage device; store user information including account informationin the storage device; and electronically complete a purchasetransaction for the item using the stored purchase information and thestored user information.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein, toelectronically complete the purchase transaction for the item, thehandheld remote control is configured to: prompt the user forauthentication information; and release the stored user information inresponse to receiving the user's password.
 3. The system of claim 2,wherein the handheld remote control comprises a plurality of buttons,and wherein receiving the user's password includes receiving the user'spassword via the plurality of buttons.
 4. The system of claim 1, whereinthe user information includes credit card account information.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, comprising the set-top box configured to overlay animage of a pointer on the scene based on direction from the handheldcontrol, wherein the handheld remote control is configured to direct theset top box to move the pointer, in response to the received user input,to point to and electronically select the element in the scene.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the set top box is connected to a server viaa network, the server configured to accomplish the purchase transaction.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld remote control comprisesa plurality of buttons configured to receive user input.
 8. The systemof claim 7, comprising the set-top box configured to overlay an image ofa pointer on the scene based on direction from the handheld remotecontrol, wherein the handheld remote control is configured to direct theset top box to move the pointer in response to received user input viathe plurality of buttons to point to and electronically select theelement in the scene.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheldremote control is configured to accept insertion of the storage devicefrom the user.
 10. A method comprising: receiving, by a handheld remotecontrol, user input to select an element in a scene of non-commercialprogramming, the element representing an item for purchase; retrieving,by the handheld remote control, purchase information for the elementfrom a set-top box configured to display the non-commercial programmingon a television display; storing the purchase information in a storagedevice of the handheld remote control; storing user informationincluding account information in the storage device; and completing,electronically by the handheld remote control, a purchase transactionfor the item using the stored purchase information and the stored userinformation.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the completing thepurchase transaction for the item includes: prompting, by the handheldremote control, the user for authentication information; and releasingthe stored user information in response to receiving the user'spassword.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the user'spassword includes receiving the user's password via a plurality ofbuttons of the handheld remote control.
 13. The method of claim 10,wherein the user information includes credit card account information.14. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting the element includesdirecting, by the handheld remote control, the set top box to move apointer, in response to received user input, to point to andelectronically select the element in the scene.
 15. The method of claim10, comprising accomplishing the purchase transaction with a serverconnected via a network to the set top box.
 16. The method of claim 10,comprising receiving, by the handheld remote control, user input via aplurality of buttons of the handheld remote control.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, comprising: overlaying, by the set-top box, an image of apointer on the scene based on direction from the handheld remotecontrol; and directing, by the handheld remote control, the set top boxto move the pointer in response to the received user input to point toand electronically select the element in the scene.
 18. The method ofclaim 10, comprising receiving the insertion o le storage device intothe handheld remote control.
 19. A non-transitory computer readablemedium including instructions, which, when executed by a handheld remotecontrol, causes the handheld remote control to perform operationscomprising: selecting, in response to received user input, an element ina scene of non-commercial programming, the element representing an itemfor purchase; retrieving purchase information for the element from aset-top box configured to display the non-commercial programming on atelevision display; storing the purchase information in a storage deviceof the handheld remote control; storing user information includingaccount information in the storage device; and completing a purchasetransaction for the item using the stored purchase information and thestored user information.